The first of many piercing screams filled the air, signaling one thing. It was Feeding time in the Volturi castle.
A small shiver made its way down my back as I changed shirts and gathered my belongings. I didn't have too many possessions so it didn't take long to pack a small bag and leave the room.
Silently, I clicked the wooden door shut before starting to make my way down the stone corridors. Every few steps or so I'd stop, listening for any indication I was being followed or that someone was near. When I was sure no one was there I kept moving, carefully not making a sound.
I rounded a corner, footsteps coming towards me. Panicking, I looked back to see Felix smiling broadly. A rush of relief hit me to find out it wasn't one of the ancients. Fighting the urge to roll my eyes I smiled as the big brute made his way towards me, I posted on my best calm façade.
" Why aren't you feeding Xander?" he asked curiously, yet cautiously.
"I fed yesterday. I was getting too thirsty and…" I shrugged, trailing off. He seemed to mull this over for a moment before lifting his shoulders lazily.
"I could ask the same of you," I retorted, cocking an eyebrow.
"I had to take care of someone for Aro. Well, I'm heading down there. Heidi said she'd save me one." With a wink, he offered a small wave and ran off down the hall. A sigh of relief escaped my lips when he left. I didn't need anyone asking any questions. Once I reached the reception area I noticed the human secretary. She smiled at me, waving.
"Hello Xander," she chirped happily, resuming her typing on the computer in front of her. I mumbled a half-hearted response before yanking the hood of my cloak above my head and exiting the building. Silently I made my way down the brick path, finally reaching the quiet streets. Very few people were out in the afternoon. A young couple holding hands and smiling were pointing to buildings and taking pictures. A woman in her mid thirties was pushing a stroller with two young children in it. The woman glanced up at me before narrowing her blue eyes and hurrying her pace down the road. I grimaced involuntarily as I watched her disappear down another street. Humans always were cautious of me, even before figuring out my true nature. Other than a few other people the streets were empty for the moment. At a pace quick for a human I made my way down the sidewalk before a glossy black car caught my eye. I realized I had forgotten to get a vehicle in the castle as I smacked my palm to my forehead.
"Grand theft auto isn't the worst thing I've ever done," I murmured to myself, playing with the lock before opening the door. After hotwiring the car I tore out of the city, heading to the closest airport.
~O~O~O~O~O~O~
The car stopped easily near the curb and I quickly hopped out, snatching my bags from the passenger seat. A valet attendant stepped forward, looking expectant. I turned away, hoping the boy wouldn't notice my unnaturally red eyes,
"Not today, sir. I'll only be in for a moment," I lied easily. The boy looked slightly disappointed at not being able to receive a tip and walked away. I dug a pair of sunglasses out of my pocket and slid them on. Moving quickly through the revolving doors and to the ticket counter, I pulled my wallet out. Thanks to Aro's over preparedness I had the proper documentation needed to travel. I unfolded the passport out and took my identification out. Impatiently I waited in line to buy my ticket. Humans move extraordinarily slow… I thought, irritated. It seemed as if these people who worked at the airport wanted those who had places to go and planes to catch to wait as long as possible. A groan of impatience escaped my lips and the two tourist girls standing behind me stared with their eyes wide. After far too long the woman called me towards the counter. The lady in front of me had an unattractive amount of makeup on and her perfume made me want to gag.
"Good evening," I said happily. The woman looked up and took a quick intake of breath. She smiled what I guess she thought was seductively and raked her eyes up and down my frame.
"How may I help you?" she wondered, cocking an eyebrow and pushing a button on the keyboard in front of her.
"One ticket, please." She pressed another key and looked expectant.
"Where would you like to go?"
"The first flight you have to Washington," I responded quickly. A few more buttons were pressed before she made a small "ah" noise of confirmation.
"There is a flight leaving in an hour and a half," she replied, quite happy with herself for finding the flight. Inwardly I groaned. I hate waiting. I mean I really hate waiting. I would have much rather her told me that one left in three minutes and I had to run like an idiot through the airport. But no, I would be made to wait.
"That would be fine, thank you." A few minutes later I had my ticket and had made my way past security. It wasn't hard to find the gate the plane would be leaving from so I swiftly sat down in one of the hard, plastic chairs. I'd never been to Washington before, not even as a human. My mind drifted to the few images I had seen of the rainy state. And as I thought of the state I would soon be residing in, I thought of those who inhabited it, and how my whole plan to escape began.
~O~O~O~O~O~O~
Slowly I looked throughout Aro's study. I could hardly begin to fathom the value of the different décor in the room. My fingers traced over a smooth, black vase with brown paintings on it. It looked Greek, and knowing how Aro liked his history it probably dated back when the Greek empire still ruled. I wondered where Aro was, or why he had called me to his study. Impatiently I tapped my foot against the ground, looking around at the paintings that hung against the stone walls. There were paintings of the brothers throughout time, of their wives with them in some. A woman stood near Marcus in a few of them, and I had never seen her before. I reminded myself to ask Aro about that later. As I was about to go take a seat in one of the plush chairs near the wooden desk a portrait caught my eye. It was one of a man, with blonde hair and a strong build. He seemed to be in his mid-twenties and had flawless features. I thought he was a vampire, but when I looked at the painted eyes they were a warm honey color, not crimson. Confusion swept over me as to who this man could be, and why his painting was hanging in Aro's office. I stared a while longer before I heard a small click and the door was pushed open, revealing none other than the black-haired ancient himself. He smiled delightedly and nodded his head.
"Xander, my child, thank you for being so prompt."
"Not a problem," I replied. He took a seat and I followed suit, plopping into one of the arm chairs. I tried to concentrate on what he was about to tell me, but my gaze kept flicking back to the painting of the mysterious man. Aro soon caught my glancing and turned in his chair.
"Ah, you seem to be curious about my dear friend, Carlisle?" he said, grinning.
"Yes, Aro, I'm sorry."
"No need for apologies, dear one. A little curiosity is better than none at all. So you would be pleased if I told you his story?"
"Yes, master," I responded, enthusiasm dripping into my tone.
"Well, he has quite the story. Carlisle Cullen was the son of an Anglican pastor. He was born sometime in the 1640s in London, England during a time of religious and political upheaval. Carlisle's father and other pastors led hunts for werewolves, witches, and vampires, claiming that they were attempting to rid the world of evil and sin. Many a time, however, these groups would end up killing innocent citizens. As his father aged, Carlisle was put in charge of the raids after these creatures. He was less at ease about killing as his father was, but he was intelligent enough to find a real coven of vampires inhabiting the sewers of London. Carlisle led the hunt after these vampires, and in the chaos that ensued, he was attacked and left bleeding in the street by a vampire. Knowing what his father would do, Carlisle hid himself in a potato cellar for his painful transformation, emerging three days later as a vampire. Carlisle was repelled and horrified by what he had become, and tried various ways of killing himself, including starvation, drowning, and jumping off cliffs. Eventually he was so desperate for blood that while he was hiding in a cave in a forest he attacked and fed on a herd of passing deer. He found that he could survive off animal blood and he considered this much more humane than drinking the blood of a human, there by killing them." He looked up, eyes meeting mine.
"Am I boring you?" he wondered.
"No, no, please continue."
"Well a while after his change he found us. He was so refined and well educated, his company was such a delight, and we extended an invitation to live among us. While here he studied medical vigorously, sometimes staying in his room for days on end. With all the studying he put into it he became a brilliant doctor. We tried to get him to live off our natural prey, but he refused, and a few decades later he left us." Aro's mood darkened slightly, but he kept talking.
"Carlisle then moved on to the New World; there, he ended up working night shifts in a Chicago hospital during the Spanish influenza epidemic. During this epidemic, Carlisle encountered a dying woman named Elizabeth Masen. Her son, Edward, was dying of influenza as well. Elizabeth begged Carlisle to do anything within his power to save her son as she lay dying. Out of loneliness, and armed with the knowledge that Edward was alone in the world, he changed him and Edward became his companion. Not long after, in 1921, Carlisle and Edward moved to Wisconsin, where Carlisle treated Esme after a failed suicide attempt spurred by the loss of her child. Carlisle felt compelled to save her life, having already treated her for a broken leg in her adolescence, and changed her as well. They soon fell in love and married. Carlisle then turned Rosalie Hale, a young woman who was raped and almost killed by her drunken fiancé and his friends, who then left her in the street to die, Later, while hunting, Rosalie found a young man named Emmett who had been mauled by a bear. She carried him over 100 miles to Carlisle to be changed. Around 1950, Mary Alice Brandon and Jasper Whitlock joined his coven. Alice and Jasper met around 1948, and sought out the Cullens based on one of Alice's visions. Rosalie and Jasper pose as twins, taking the surname "Hale", while Alice changed her name to Cullen. Much later, Carlisle and his family moved to Forks, Washington where they had lived previously and had made a treaty with the Quileute tribe, led by a werewolf named Ephraim Black. The treaty stated that the Quileutes would leave the Cullens alone and not reveal them to humans if the Cullens would refrain from biting humans - whether to kill or change them - or trespassing on Quileute land. Because of the treaty, the Cullens were able to live in relative peace," he concluded, folding his hands and smiling.
"And these people don't hurt humans?" I wondered, awed.
"Rarely, maybe if a slip up happens, but they do not sustain themselves off humans." For the rest of the time I did not concentrate on Aro, but on meeting these revolutionary vampires.
~O~O~O~O~O~O~
"Flight 214, to Seattle, Washington, now boarding," a voice droned over the intercom. I picked up my small carryon and made my was to the gate. The man waiting there scanned my boarding pass and let me through. I took a final gulp of air so that I wouldn't have to breathe on the plane so crowded with humans. I found a seat near the back, setting my bag down and settling in. A woman who seemed to be in quite the rush sat next to me, apologizing when she hit me with her purse. A large business man took the other seat on our row, talking animatedly on his cell phone. As I slipped my eyes shut, feigning sleep, only one thought was in my mind.
Forks, Washington here I come.